How to Identify the Eisenhower Dollar

What It Is

The Eisenhower Dollar was minted from 1971 to 1978, honoring former President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who died in 1969. It was the first U.S. dollar coin issued since the Peace dollar ended in 1935, and it commemorated both Eisenhower and the Apollo 11 moon landing. Frank Gasparro designed both sides.

Obverse Design

The obverse shows a left-facing portrait of Eisenhower. "LIBERTY" arcs above, "IN GOD WE TRUST" sits in the left field, and the date is below the portrait.

Reverse Design

The standard reverse reproduces the Apollo 11 mission patch: an eagle landing on the moon while clutching an olive branch, with Earth visible in the background. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "ONE DOLLAR" surround the scene. A special 1976 Bicentennial reverse instead shows the Liberty Bell superimposed on the moon, with the dual date "1776-1976" on the obverse.

Size, Weight & Metal

Most circulating Eisenhower dollars are copper-nickel clad over a pure copper core, weighing 22.68 grams and measuring 38.1 mm across, with a reeded edge. A limited number of collector coins were struck in 40% silver-clad, weighing slightly more at about 24.59 grams.

Mint Marks

The mint mark sits on the obverse, just below Eisenhower's neck truncation. Look for "D" (Denver) or "S" (San Francisco, used mainly on proof and silver issues); no mark indicates Philadelphia.

Telling It Apart from Similar Coins

Its large size (38.1 mm) and copper-nickel edge separate it instantly from the smaller Susan B. Anthony dollar that replaced it in 1979, and its Eisenhower portrait distinguishes it from the earlier Peace dollar, which shows a female Liberty head. The 1976 Bicentennial reverse (Liberty Bell and moon) is distinct from the standard Apollo eagle reverse used in other years.

Grading at a Glance

Wear first appears on Eisenhower's cheek and hair above his ear, and on the high points of the eagle and Earth on the reverse. Because these coins circulated heavily and are large and heavy, contact marks and rim dings are common even on lightly worn examples.

Authenticity Red Flags

Genuine copper-nickel clad examples show a visible copper-colored stripe on the edge; a coin lacking that stripe, or one that looks uniformly silver-white and is unusually heavy, may be a silver-clad collector version (not an error) or a plated fake. Be cautious of coins with a soft, blurry strike or incorrect diameter, both signs of a cast counterfeit.